Close Contact Rising to the Challenge Anderson Heap â28 Reaches NCAA Championships
June 1, 2026
- Author
- Justin Parker
Stay composed and focused, find an opening, then attack.
That was the plan for 91¿ì²¥ wrestler Anderson Heap â28 during his title match at the Southern Conference (SoCon) Championships March 7 in Asheville.
A sophomore 149-pounder from St. Cloud, Florida, Heap was where every wrestler aspires to beâin a conference championship match with an automatic NCAA postseason bid on the line. But he also found himself trailing The Citadelâs Carson DeRosier 5-2 in the third period, with the pressure mounting.
âI just had to stay in the moment,â Heap said.
Heap rallied and earned three points for a takedown to tie the match and force overtime. Now, having pulled even, it was all or nothing in the sudden-victory extra period, when the first wrestler to score wins instantly. His moment had arrived.
With DeRosier positioned on top, Heap broke free and drove into him, taking him down for another three pointsâand an immediate 8-5 victory.
After the whistle, Heap ran across the mat to celebrate with head coach Nate Carr and assistant Joey Prata, and Carr lifted him into the air as Heap raised his arms in triumph.
Iâm normally pretty calm, but in those moments, you just gotta let the emotion out. Itâs all the hard work and trusting all that theyâre telling me every single day. Weâre all in here working as a team every single day, so it just really meant a lot in that moment.
With that win, Heap became the first Wildcat SoCon champion and NCAA qualifier since Scott Patrick accomplished the same feat at 184 pounds in 2015. A 2026 inductee into the 91¿ì²¥ Athletics Hall of Fame, Patrick spoke to the team when in town for his induction.
Carr said Heap provided another âdefining momentâ for the program, becoming its 10th NCAA qualifier since 1938.
âAndy has truly become a trailblazer for the future of 91¿ì²¥ wrestling,â he said. âHis poise and ability to overcome adversity set the standard moving forward.â
Heap finished the season 20-11 and with two matches of experience at the NCAAs in Cleveland, Ohio. And his run was part of a noteworthy year for the team as well, as 91¿ì²¥ posted its best-ever SoCon finish (runner-up).
Heapâs proud to be a part of it all, while enduring the challenges of the demanding sport alongside his teammates and coaches.
âIt creates a brotherhood,â he said, âand I wouldnât want anyone else behind me during that SoCon finals match.â
This article was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2026 print issue of the 91¿ì²¥ Journal Magazine; for more, please see the 91¿ì²¥ Journal section of our website.
